As you can see from the Google site, we've had some turbulence but things are now calm and back on track, with twice the fun and two categories of N-Prize. I'll formalize things as soon as I get a chance

As you can see from the Google site, we've had some turbulence but things are now calm and back on track, with twice the fun and two categories of N-Prize. I'll formalize things as soon as I get a chance

Should be good! il try fid some more info!

Rob

Rob, as I understand it, the only difference is one category is for re-usable vehicles not counting against the budget and the other is for everything that leaves the ground counting against the budget.

I'll take you up on that one This Rule Change is a huge difference and a big advantage if used properly. If you made your own alcohol and Liquid oxygen you could almost get into orbit with a standard rocket! Almost I wonder if I could liquefy Methane cheaply myself?

I'm a little behind on things, as I'm currently travelling and touching base when I get the chance. So, please take this as an interim statement pending more detailed reports!

Briefly, yes, the N-Prize now includes two categories (to be embodied in revised rules as soon as I get the chance to do so). Briefly, the first category ("single-spend to orbit" until I come up with a better name) adheres to the original rules as posted: everything that leaves the ground has to have a cost of Â£999.99 or less. This is just about impossible, so I'm pretty sure someone will do it.

The second category ("reusable vehicle") allows the spend to be over Â£999.99, as long as the cost "per mission" remains within the Â£999.99 budget. In other words, for this category the Â£999.99 has to cover the cost of refuelling, refurbishing etc, and of replacing any non-recovered or non-reusable components (such as the satellite itself).

There's a long story (involving, amongst other things, a goof on my part) behind the decision to offer two categories, but I think the end result will be win-win.

Incidentally, each prize is Â£9,999.99 (as before), and the two prizes carry equal status. The prizes will be awarded to the first successful entrant in each category.

Watch this space!
Paul

_________________"Gentlemen, we haven't got any money, so we are going to have to think!"

Yep, total prize money is now doubled. I'm hoping both prizes will be won, but I'm guessing that the single-spend-to-orbit prize is the tougher, and therefore more likely to be won within the timeframe.

_________________"Gentlemen, we haven't got any money, so we are going to have to think!"

One prize (the "single-spend-to-orbit", or "SSO" Prize) will be awarded to the first entrant to complete the challenge using a non-reusable launch system. The other prize (the "reuseable vehicle" or "RV" Prize) will be awarded to the first entrant to complete the challenge using a partially or wholly reuable launch system. Both prizes carry equal status.

As Rob pointed out, the new rules are now up on the N-Prize site. The revisions allow for not one but TWO prizes, both of equal status and each with the original prize money of Â£9,999.99.

The "SSO" (single spend to orbit) prize adheres to the rules originally posted for the N-Prize, requiring everything that leaves the ground to be produced for Â£999.99 or less.

The "RV" (reusable vehicle) prize allows entrants to spend as much as they like on hardware, but they must demonstrate recoverability of some or all of the hardware, and must have a per-launch cost of Â£999.99 or less.

I hope that the additional prize will drive further innovation and will inspire more teams to join this madcap pursuit. Already, we've seen an upturn in new entries, with entrants split between the two categories.

To insanity and beyond!
Paul

_________________"Gentlemen, we haven't got any money, so we are going to have to think!"

Old rule 14:14. Currency Conversion. Expenditure in foreign currencies will beconverted to Â£UKstg, based on the exchange rate published in theLondon Financial Times on the day the entrant first registers for theN-Prize (see 'How to Enter'). Please note that the prize itself willbe paid only in UK pounds sterling.

New rule 14:14. Currency Conversion. For teams whose national currency is notPounds Sterling, the exchange rate which is used in determining theallowable budget (equivalent to Â£999.99) will be the highest (best)exchange rate which their national currency has attained, during thefirst 9 months of the competition (ie, between 9th April 2008 and 9thJanuary 2009, inclusive), using the closing mid-price against thePound as published in the London Financial Times.

If teams purchase items in currencies other than their own, then thecontribution to their budget will be based on the actual exchange rateat the time of purchase including any commissions etc. For example,if a US team buys a French component at a cost of 50 Euros using acredit card, and if the final charge made by the credit card company(including transaction fees etc) is $62, then that component will becounted as having cost $62.

One rule I'd like to see changed: the upper weight limit. Remove the need for the payload to weigh less than 19.99 grams. If a team manages to orbit 1kg for less than Â£999.99 per mission, then I seeno reason why they shouldn't get the prize. They've done better than NASA